Buckingham comes to town .. .

we had guests yesterday

among them a family of 8

they were on the road

headed to they-didn't-know-where 

they sang beautifully
while 1 played a violin
another the piano

the conversation revolved around luke 21 As some were talking about the temple complex, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God ...and Jesus responds
it's going down
all of it ...
but..
don't be afraid
the kingdom of God will endure

kingdoms will fail and fall
religious structures will change
denominations will come and go ..
but the kingdom will remain

the christianity we have known is dying
church buildings and pastors as we know them are becoming extinct
sorta like the 90% of large ocean fish - gone ..

but
don't be afraid
it will give you opportunity to be a witness
and the kingdom will endure
it will rise out of the ashes
again
new form
abiding

maybe we'll find ourselves in a similar situation to the original christians
wandering vagrant rebels
upturning the world systems that operate under the authority of the satan
in the name of Jesus
 .. .. . .

communing around the table
' all are welcome ' ..

and then there was lunch
eating together

the meal was prepared by 3 young people
involved in an organization that helps the incarcerated
and as i was served eats
looking for a place to sit
i was stopped dead in my tracks ..
4 stringed instruments struck up some incredible sound

for the next half hour
i sat at a table
in a room with perhaps 60 others
listening to the most delicious classical renderings
the last one was Haydn
   i asked

i was thrilled
they were marvelously talented
playing together as only long-practiced comrades can

it was a ray of heavenlight shining through on my daylife

there are moments in timelife we will not forget ..
if we pause ourselves
to looksee
smell
taste
listenhear

this was 1 of those ..
i was overcome by the incredulousness of it
the unexpectedness
the outofnowhereness

reminds me of an offthecuff concert ..
a good friend of mine and i were walking into a mall in the south
and 2 men and a dog were sitting on the sidewalk
1 with an old guitar
   some missing strings
the other with an upturned plastic bucket
and a stick
knocking back some cool jivin' tunes ..
we paused
we sat on the sidewalk with them
listened
shared coffee
enjoyed the music ..
like that ..

i'll not soon forget .. .

peace to the buckinghams
as they move from here to Godknowswhere
at the behest of God
in his direction
taking with them sunshine and smiles and harmony and peace
spreading the pure love of Jesus

hope they enjoy the bajan peppersauce

(i repeatedly tried to load a video of the music .. fail.. sorry)

shalom